Jammu & Kashmir

Former JK Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s detention extended by three months

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday extended the detention period of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti lodged under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA).

In an order by the Home Department of the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the extension of PSA was made under the public order provisions of the act.

Mehbooba was initially detained on August 5 last year when the Centre abrogated special status of the erstwhile State and bifurcated it into two union territories — Ladakh and J&K.

Later on February 5, her six-month custody was extended by invoking PSA along with National Conference President and former JK chief minister Omar Abdullah.

Having spent over eight months in detention at two government facilities that were designated as sub-jails, Mehbooba was shifted to her home on April 7, where she remains under house detention.

The move, according to reports, was seen as a “partial relief” to her, by the authorities.

Mehbooba heads the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which was in power in Jammu and Kashmir in alliance with the BJP till June 2018.

Besides Mehbooba, several political leaders including Omar Abdullah, his father Farooq Abdullah,Shah Faesal, Sajad Lone and many others were detained by the authorities on August 5, 2019, hours before the scrapping of Article 370

Pertinently, the daughter of Mehbooba, Iltija Mufti, has moved a habeas corpus petition before the Supreme Court in February challenging her mother’s detention.

In this regard, a three-judge bench had issued a notice to the JK administration seeking its response on the plea and posted the matter for March 18. However, the petition was not taken up for hearing due to COVID outbreak.

 

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